1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to pop-up type graphics mechanisms and in particular to graphics-animating mechanisms that produce alternating action in structures attached to them.
2. Description of Prior Art
The prior art is in the form of pop-up type structures and slide-activated type "paper engineering" commonly seen in children's pop-up books, novelty greeting cards, and in advertising products. The pop-up devices used in the prior art are typically folded structures that are activated by the opening of a card or turning of a page that causes a pop up, or rapid unfolding of the structures into three-dimensional forms. Other related devices are of the sliding type in which structures are activated by linear pushing and pulling of paper tabs which cause structures to raise up and down, move left and right, flop over from front to back or in otherwise similar ways. Graphical structures of this type are published within copyrighted material and are not normally patented. Two excellent examples of this prior art are found in the pop-up books Jungle Bugs, by David Carter, published by Simon & Schuster, N.Y., N.Y. Copyright 1992, and Who's Peeking at Me?, by Kees Moerbeek, published by Price, Stern, Sloan, L.A., Calif. Copyright 1988. Both books exhibit high levels of innovation in activating graphical structures.
Examples of related prior art that have been patented are found in the animation device of Charles Robert Helms, U.S. Pat. No. 3,559,321 (pat. Feb. 2, 1971) and in the animated greeting card of Edith M. Maher, U.S. Pat. No. 3,486,270 (pat. Dec. 30, 1969). The Helms U.S. Pat. No. 3,559,321 discloses a number of embodiments that use hinged members within folded covers to transfer sliding movement of paper elements in unobvious directions. The Maher U.S. Pat. No. 3,486,270 uses string means to operate puppet figures that are movably attached to a card structure.